i don't know what to think or to say. i don't. i was supposed to be work, now i don't know anything to do. >> the company that was praised by the president as future of america stuns people by shutting it's doors. >> the solar manufacturing company announcing they are

laying off 1100 workers and will file for bankruptcy. amy hollyfield joins us. >> reporter: good morning. some people told us they realized the company was having money problems but most of moste employees were caught off guard this morning. one man said he recently been promoted but nothing prepared him for this blow. employees couldn't believe they were packing up and saying goodbye this morning. just yesterday, everything seemed normal. >> not very happy, everybody is kind of bummed out. everybody it was kind of surprised, speechless, nobody knows what to think. >> he wasn't alone and his confidence about the company. president obama toured the production line and held the company up as the green future.

they received $535 million stimulus loan. >> i love it but unfortunately it happened. >> the ceo held a meeting with employees this month meeting to tell them 1100 people would be losing his jobs. he encouraged them to keep striving to do something different in the industry. >> it's kind of somber. you walk in your company and the doors are shot. >> the company released a written statement saying global economic and solar industry market conditions have forced the company to suspend manufacturing operations. they intend to file a petition for chapter 11 bankruptcy code and considering options including a sale for the

business. >> we're done. there are a few people, engineers are still but disconnect equipment. it sound like its done deal. >> it's been so sad to watch people packing up and walking out, but we did find one bright spot out here. a recruit frer manpower staffing was here talking to employees as they left. he represents other solar companies and he says there was a lot of talent here at the company. david louie is live in redwood city with an analysis of the announcement. >> analysts say the company had very innovative technology but like most high-tech start-ups there was built of risk involved. president obama did visit the company in may last year to check out the automated assembly

line that was built by $535 million in taxpayer money. it was part of the federal stimulus program, giving the government a stake in the success. investment has gone sour. private investors have also lost their money. the company used only 1% or 2% in standard solar panels and when prices spiked that gave them a big advantage. >> investors and entrepreneurs might have misappropriately thought the price would stay high but like any commodity the price dropped and the price fluctuates. and they were caught in that vice in having to keep up with chinese and american vendors who were riding the price of silicon

low. >> a kilogram costs as much as $475 in 2008 but it has fallen to $51 today or even $45 in the futures market. as part of the bankruptcy filing they say they will try to put the company up for sale or license its technology, however we're told that they are not likely to be compatible with what other solar companies are using. they say to expect the bankruptcy to trigger a solar industry shakeup. other companies who now have difficulty getting capital from venture expected a lifts will probably try to digest what happened at the company. president obama is going to unveil a new jobs plan a week from tonight before a joint session of congress. today he urged congress to pass an extension of the federal highway bill that expires at the end of next month. the president says if congress

lets the bill expire, 4,000 americans will be out of work right away and million could lose their jobs over the next year. >> it could put more jobs at risk in an industry that has been hard hit. it's unexcusable to cut off necessary investments at a time when so many of our highways are choked with congestion and bridges in need for repair. >> he could be in fight for republicans because they propose another transportation bill but it would cut spending levels by a third. >> developing news in berkeley, they are investigating a vandalism spree. at least 50 cars along california and king streets have had their tires slashed. they say they expect to find more. one officer says this may be the biggest tire slashing spree the department has ever seen. four officers are going street

by street in the area looking for more damaged cars. we'll bring you updates at 4:00, 5:00 and 6:00. >> four workers are hospitalized this morning after an accident. some of the workers fell three stories, wayne freedman is live at the scene on third illinois. >> reporter: that is the site of the apartment house that is still under construction. 196 units, six stories, 19th and illinois in san francisco. there were as you said four injuries, three of them critical. they are identified as being in their 20s and 30s. after falling and being buried in concrete. we can't see what happened inside. this was inside a stairwell. the form ruptured sending concrete on to man. it was equivalent of having a large wall fall on you.

they were underneath. they were below the concrete. the concrete was being poured on the roof. they were below. there was some sort of failure within the concrete pour, either the form or something along those lines that we'll investigate. as the concrete came down a couple them got hit by the concrete and fell a distance. we don't know exactly what happened. cal osha is investigating. we're told some of the men fell as many as 30 feet. the contractor is midi construction. no comments from the company so far. reporters are waiting to hear from them but work on the site has shut down for the day. that the latest. four construction workers injured when a concrete form collapsed and pushed them down a

stairwell. kayaker spent the night tied to a channel marker is safe this morning. people aboard the larkspur ferry spotted the woman and called for help. a small boat plucked her from the platform. she was treated for hypothermia. she was kayaking to sausalito when she became stranded. >> it's fiob, the bart board of directors has named the new manager. she was named as chief manager. she is number two person at the federal transit administration under bill clinton. she will make $330,000 a year. she takes over an agency days facing several controversies. protests that forced bart to shut down several stations in downtown san francisco.

they were triggered by fatal shooting of a homeless man and the agency's system on shut off cellphone service to prevent an earlier protest. just ahead, a report card on the security as we approach 9/11 terror attacks. they say we are note any better prepared today. >> and kids with guns, a decision made by a santa

speed limits around schools in san jose could be dropped from 25 to 15 miles an hour. terry mcsweeney joins us from san jose. this has become rather controversial. >> its surprise. it sound like a good idea, lowering the speed limit because of a safety issue for children. the city of san jose can't even afford it and even if they approved it they can't deliver. >> they are on their way to trace elementary school one of three in san jose along with hoover and lincoln high school that has 15 mile-an-hour speed limit. >> yes. >> he can tell you firsthand, it

hasn't lowered his anxiety. do you feel safe? >> no. >> it allows to lower speed limits near could schools and requires traffic studies for san jose could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. they say san jose up against $115 million shortfall doesn't have money for the studies or for the officers needed to enforce the legislator limit at every school in the city. dozens have been laid off. >> sometimes we do things in the way that makes us feel good but if we can't enforce it it sends the wrong message. >> they say they there is a way around that the expenditure for the studies and san francisco has figured it out for its schools. >> it's a massive price when you don't have to do a traffic study versus just present curing a sign and placing it over the existing sign. >> the controversy will give way

to the sunshine of safety. >> clearly getting hit by a car at 25 miles per hour could produce brain damage if you got hit by a car at 15 you live. >> one thing two council members agree on if you want to deal with traffic situation, remove the traffic. live in san jose, terry mcsweeney. a follow-up to a story we brought from you santa rosa where residents had a chance to convenient their outrage when children were able to handle automatic weapons. many question the display. you might remember these pictures we show showed you at at neighborhood festival. allowing children to handle weapons used by the city's

s.w.a.t. team. police chief defended the department the event was an opportunity to show people some of the tools they use to keep the community safe. tenth anniversary of september 11th terrorist attacks is days away but a new report is giving united states great grades to prevent another terror strike. they say the u.s. security scored very lots few a's and lots of c's. despite billions of dollars spent by the homeland security department. they must improve the way this are screening technology requirements. work with the private sector to develop this equipment. >> the report blames congress for failing to fix the communication breakdown that occurred september 11th when police and fire units were on different radio frequencies and could not talk to each other.

>> the sun came out earlier today. >> but as we take a look at september we should have a nice warming trend on the way. hanging up on a merger, the federal government is putting a merger between cellphone providers on hold.

speed limits around schools in san jose could be dropped from 25 to 15 miles an hour. terry mcsweeney joins us from san jose. this has become rather controversial. >> its surprise. it sound like a good idea, lowering the speed limit because of a safety issue for children. the city of san jose can't even afford it and even if they approved it they can't deliver. >> they are on their way to trace elementary school one of three in san jose along with hoover and lincoln high school that has 15 mile-an-hour speed limit. >> yes. >> he can tell you firsthand, it hasn't lowered his anxiety. do you feel safe? >> no. >> it allows to lower speed

limits near could schools and requires traffic studies for san jose could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. they say san jose up against $115 million shortfall doesn't have money for the studies or for the officers needed to enforce the legislator limit at every school in the city. dozens have been laid off. >> sometimes we do things in the way that makes us feel good but if we can't enforce it it sends the wrong message. >> they say they there is a way around that the expenditure for the studies and san francisco has figured it out for its schools. >> it's a massive price when you don't have to do a traffic study versus just present curing a sign and placing it over the existing sign. >> the controversy will give way to the sunshine of safety. >> clearly getting hit by a car at 25 miles per hour could

produce brain damage if you got hit by a car at 15 you live. >> one thing two council members agree on if you want to deal with traffic situation, remove the traffic. live in san jose, terry mcsweeney. a follow-up to a story we brought from you santa rosa where residents had a chance to convenient their outrage when children were able to handle automatic weapons. many question the display. you might remember these pictures we show showed you at at neighborhood festival. allowing children to handle weapons used by the city's s.w.a.t. team. police chief defended the department the event was an opportunity to show people some of the tools they use to keep the community safe.

tenth anniversary of september 11th terrorist attacks is days away but a new report is giving united states great grades to prevent another terror strike. they say the u.s. security scored very lots few a's and lots of c's. despite billions of dollars spent by the homeland security department. they must improve the way this are screening technology requirements. work with the private sector to develop this equipment. >> the report blames congress for failing to fix the communication breakdown that occurred september 11th when police and fire units were on different radio frequencies and could not talk to each other. >> the sun came out earlier today. >> but as we take a look at

september we should have a nice warming trend on the way. hanging up on a merger, the federal government is putting a merger between cellphone providers on hold.

breaking news right now. sky7hd is live over southern san mateo county, foster city area

where three manholes are overflowing with water on beach park and shell boulevard. you can see crews working right now. they believe it's responsible for setting off utility alarms and fire alarms they don't know why the water is backing up and overflowing. no injuries have been reporting so far and no evacuations have been ordered. later today at 3:00, protecting your mobile devices from hackers. and zoo animals that are forgotten casualties of the revolution in libya. we'll have those stories and more at 4:00 and 5:00. that is going to do it for now. thanks for watching news today. >> "who wants to be a millionaire" is coming up next. >> have a great day.